


Without Flame

by shockandlock



Category: One Piece
Genre: Angst, Angst and Tragedy, Betrayal, Gen, Isolation, Mental Instability, Misunderstandings, Muteness, Prison, Suicidal Thoughts
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-12
Updated: 2020-10-15
Packaged: 2021-03-08 02:14:42
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,689
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26964271
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/shockandlock/pseuds/shockandlock
Summary: Without flame, there can only be cold. In another world, it goes like this: Marshall D. Teach frames Portgas D. Ace for the murder of  Fourth Division Commander Thatch. The Whitebeards and their pirate code take it to heart. "You are no longer a son of Whitebeard, traitor."
Relationships: Portgas D. Ace & Whitebeard Pirates
Comments: 21
Kudos: 144
Collections: Pyro's Faves





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I mentioned this on Twitter and people encouraged me so oops I cranked this out in a day even though I thought I was only going to make it a short oneshot. I don't usually write heavy angst like this, so I definitely got to use some new tags today!
> 
> Enjoy!

In another world, it goes like this:

Portgas D. Ace pursues a traitor. He leaves too early. He doesn’t realize his foolish mistake until he calls the Moby Dick.

_ “You dare call us after what you did? You killed him!”  _ He can hear the fury behind Marco’s voice and he trembles in his boots. His heart feels cold. He has no chance to explain himself.  _ “Teach called and told us what happened. Don’t you dare call yourself a member of this family ever again. You are no longer a son of Whitebeard, traitor.”  _ When the call hangs up, Ace, ironically, feels frozen in place. He is living fire, but there is nothing he can do to fix the cold he feels.

He needs to clear his name. He swears to capture that bastard no matter what. 

But then he fails.

There are several things the navy could do with Ace now that they have him in their clutches. A public execution is their first choice, but things don’t quite work out. It’s meant to be a trap for Whitebeard, to finally capture the Strongest Man, but they laugh at the Marines’ threat.  _ “Let that traitor rot.”  _

They let Ace hear those words. He shatters.

There’s no way his family– are they even family anymore?– could say that. They really have thrown him out like yesterday’s trash. He wants to scream and explain how they got it all wrong, but he can’t bring himself to.

Teach– no, Blackbeard, is made into a Warlord. Pops congratulates him on forming his own crew, despite how they now stand at odds. He captured a piece of filth traitor after all. Ace is no longer useful. Even though they could make an example out of him, the government’s next best option is to hide him away. There can be no evidence that they failed to kill the child of the Pirate King over 20 years ago. Portgas D. Ace (now deemed Gol D. Ace) was imprisoned without a word. He was effectively dead to the world.

Ace is hidden away even from the other prisoners of Impel Down’s elusive level 6. He is kept in constant dark, constant silence, only allowed to see the light of day when they come to make sure he is alive. He wishes he is dead instead of this, but he damn well tries. If he tries to bash his head against the wall, they just chain him up tighter. If he tries to starve himself, they force food down his throat. The guards don’t even taunt him or torture him. He is to be treated as if he doesn’t exist. He knows it is pointless to even try and talk back. They have gagged him too. His mouth is only to feed and drink. His shattered mind must have picked up on that as well because he attempts once when his mouth is freed, simply from sheer curiosity, 

He can’t even make a noise.

It’s in that dark void of a cell where Ace comes to this conclusion: he’s nothing more than a monster that doesn’t deserve to exist. He doesn’t deserve attention or love, and just as Whitebeard said, he would rot away in this cell.

All he could do was wait for that day to come.


	2. Two Years Later

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In another world, it goes like this, two years later...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I kept going back and forth on whether I wanted to post this right now or not, but then I just decided to anyways! Sorry I don't really respond to comments, but I have enjoyed seeing what you all thought!
> 
> Enjoy!

In another world, it goes like this, two years later:

The Whitebeard pirates would never go to war for a traitor that broke their code. Their crew is still alive and well despite their captain’s aging. The incident with their previous Second Division Commander has been handled. Everyone assumes they have done it themselves. Marshall D. Teach is still a Warlord, but things are kept amicable between him and his former crew.

Then, the Whitebeard Pirates are visited by a Revolutionary. 

“My name is Sabo. I’m… looking for someone,” he says, honest but still distant. It went like this: the amnesiac revolutionary Sabo was dispatched to Dressrosa, where he encountered his brother from childhood and regained his memories. Now, both of them are searching for their missing brother, the missing piece to their whole. “I want to know any information you have on my brother, Portgas D. Ace.”

Anyone would be terrified to see the way Whitebeard’s face twists in anger, but Sabo knows the risks. His connection to Ace only makes things worse. “You dare mention the man who killed my son in my presence?”

Sabo hears growling, yelling, and the sounds of swords being drawn, but he stands his ground. “I don’t believe that for a second.”

Marco the Phoenix steps forward and seizes the collar of his jacket. Still, Sabo does not move. “We told him to rot in hell,” Marco growls. “Why would you care? This is none of your business. You weren’t there.”

Sabo stares at him. “Were you?” His words are simple, but they make Marco loosen his grip. “If you have no information for me, then I’ll be on my way.”

The deck is tense as he starts to leave, but he pauses. “Ace was always searching for a reason to live, you know. I wouldn’t be surprised if your words alone killed him.”

Those words chill the deck into silence. They deny Sabo's words. How dare this outsider speak out of turn? What does he know?

They don’t realize their mistake– a mistake two years in the making– until disaster strikes. One of their islands has been utterly destroyed. There was no one to call for help because, by the time it happened, it was already too late.

They’re sick to their stomachs as they await news from their intelligence network: who could have done such a thing? But then they receive a call from the perpetrator himself.

“ _ Zehahaha!”  _ Teach’s strange laugh barks out from the den-den mushi, and then, he drops a bomb.

If they were prepared for this news, then they would have reacted with anger immediately, but the freezing chill returns to them, shocking them like a stray lightning bolt in the middle of a blizzard. “But what about Ace?” someone asks, their voice quiet. They’re all so dazed that no one remembers who spoke.

_ “You old fools should learn the value of playing dirty in this day and age! Things are changing! It was easy to let Fire First take the fall. You were the ones who believed me!”  _

The entire ship shakes with rage. If Whitebeard could reach across the sea with his earthquake to summon a tsunami to Teach’s location, he would have. “You realize what this means?” Whitebeard says, still trying to remain calm, but the time for that has passed. 

_ “I know the code, _ ” Teach answers. _ “Ace did too.” _ He laughs at them one final time before he hangs up. 

They want to retaliate, to prepare for war, but inside, his words rattle their entire crew to its very roots. They thought Ace betrayed them, but they’re really the ones who betrayed him, throwing him away without giving him a chance. Before Ace had truly found his place with them, he clung onto their code of give and take:  _ “It’s the way I’ve always lived,”  _ he had told them. But then they found out he was just some lost little kid who needed a family, who needed love and validation. 

They ripped that out of him as if tearing his heart out. They could only imagine how he felt now.

Everyone needs time to recover. Ace was– is?– their little brother and they just abandoned him. Izo refuses to leave his cabin for days. Jozu throws himself into training (destroying several punching bags in the process). Haruta can’t stay still. Marco distracts himself with paperwork but fails. 

The former Spade Pirates are in an even worse state. They all did the best they could to convince them that Ace would never betray the crew, the  _ family,  _ when the “betrayal” first happened _.  _ Somewhere along the way, their faith wavered. Their captain had been stubborn before, so far how off the mark was this really? Finding out that they were right all along was like being stabbed. Deuce doesn’t sleep anymore, but his mask hides the bags under his eyes. He’s too busy comforting Kotatsu, who has looked for Ace every single day since his disappearance.

And then, there’s Whitebeard himself. He can’t bring himself to address everyone. He sits there in his chair on the deck, silent and stoic, occasionally speaking to a commander or a nurse. He requests a drink. His desire for the inhibition is understandable, but they have to take his health into account. He is denied. 

_ Live sober with your mistake,  _ the world says.

They do their best to prepare for their next move (whatever it may be), but they struggle.

News of a prison break awakens them from their stupor. There has been a mass breakout at Impel Down in a scheme orchestrated by the Revolutionary Army. It’s not hard to make the connection. There is hope.

It takes a while to get things arranged, but eventually, they come into contact with Sabo again. He doesn’t sound happy to hear from them.  _ “With all due respect, I don’t see the reason for this call.” _

“My son,” Whitebeard says. “Where is he?”

Sabo doesn’t answer immediately, but it’s enough of a confirmation.  _ “I think you have lost the right to call him that.” _

“He still has my mark, does he not? Let us see him.”

They can hear it in Sabo’s voice: he wants to refuse them, but he knows not to incur the wrath of the Strongest Man on the seas. They come to an agreement and arrange a meeting on a neutral island. Even then, Sabo’s guard is up.

“Where is he?” Marco asks, ready to interrogate more if need be. 

Sabo holds up his hand. “It’s not a good idea for you to see him.” At the same time, he knows he won’t be able to avoid this.

“Is he injured?” Izo asks. He has a younger sibling himself beyond the crew, so he’s inclined to show his concern. “We have a top-notch medical staff. He should be treated here.”

Fury flickers through Sabo’s eyes, but the diplomacy returns soon enough. “Ace is in no state to go anywhere,” he says. “One at a time, only if Ace is okay with it.”

“I’ll go,” Deuce volunteers. No one else on their crew knows Ace better than him. On top of all that, he’s a part of the medical staff. He’s the ideal choice. Kotatsu sticks by him as he steps forward. Deuce pats the lynx’s head. “He missed Ace a lot. I don’t think he’s going to take no for an answer.”

“Fine,” Sabo accepts. “Come with me.”

The Whitebeard Pirates wait in silence so tense that it feels like you could pluck it out of the air and shatter it in your hands. No one knows what to expect, but they hope for the best. They hope that Deuce will return with Ace, Kotatsu clinging to him so he’ll never leave again. 

They don’t expect this: Deuce returns, but the Spade Pirates’ beloved lynx is not with him. They start to ask him questions, but he doesn’t respond. Finally, they see him up close. Even though he’s wearing his mask, they can see that his eyes are red and wet with tears. He collapses onto the deck. 

Marco kneels by him. “Deuce. What happened? Where is Kotatsu? Where is Ace?”

Deuce shakes his head. “He wanted to stay with Ace. It’s… it’s not pretty.”

Marco departs the boat once he makes sure that Deuce is okay (rattled, but he’s fine). He walks up to Sabo. “Let me see Ace,” he demands.

“Are you sure?”

“I am.”

Sabo takes a moment to consider it, but he finally nods. He leads Marco to the Revolutionary ship and to the infirmary. “Just be prepared,” he warns.

“I know.” Knowing the state this put Deuce in, Marco is still amazed that Sabo even allowed this. Sabo remains outside as Marco enters. 

It doesn’t take long to spot him since only a single cot is occupied in the dark room, but at first, Marco thinks it’s a mistake. It’s undeniable when he sees Kotatsu curled up at the foot of the bed, crowding Ace’s legs. This isn’t the Ace that Marco remembers. This Ace is skin and bones, lacking the energy of the living flame Marco has come to know. He hasn’t made a sound since Marco entered. 

Marco holds his breath as he approaches the bed. “Ace?” He isn’t even aware of how quiet his voice is, but he holds himself carefully as if he will break him if he speaks any louder. Ace doesn’t even flinch, so he repeats himself.

When Ace finally looks at him, Marco knows that that look will haunt him for the rest of his life: Ace’s eyes are empty and cold, holding a darkness that Marco can’t even imagine. He stares at Marco, blinks, then looks away again.

“You know where we found him?” Sabo asks, speaking quietly as well. Marco, numb, shakes his head. “He was in Level Six, the very bottom of Impel Down. They didn’t keep him with the other prisoners. The cell’s walls were several feet thick. It was completely dark and soundproof. He’s still adjusting to using his senses again. Any little thing could be too much.” Sabo holds something in front of him. It’s a picture, but it just looks like a black square. It takes Marco a moment to realize that this is the very prison cell Sabo described. “It’s worse in person. At least you can’t smell it.”

Marco’s stomach churns. It was a cell like a grave. He wishes they never told him to rot. Kotatsu meows, but once again, Ace doesn’t even react. It’s heartbreaking to see the way the cat begs for attention from the man he missed so much only to be met with failure instead of affectionate head scratches. 

“He’s relatively uninjured. It doesn’t seem like they used conventional methods of torture.”

“But the isolation was the torture,” Marco finishes. He wants to throw up, but he feels like doing so is selfish. This… this was their fault. Ace was the sun, a living flame. The prison suffocated that flame and snuffed it out, but they were the ones who let it happen. 

“He hasn’t responded to us at all. Maybe he thinks this is all fake.”

Now, it’s so easy to understand why Deuce was in that state. He couldn’t imagine having to explain this to everyone. How could he even summon the words to say what they have done? 

“We’re going to do all we're able for him, but…” Sabo trails off, but morbid words hand in the air. 

_ It’s cruel to keep him alive like this.  _ His body may be here alive and breathing, but Portgas D. Ace is as good as dead. And his own family, the Whitebeard Pirates who swore to give him a place to belong, smothered out that light. “I still haven’t told Luffy yet, but he’s been looking for Ace too. He won’t take it well, especially when he finds out what you did.”

Strawhat isn’t a mere rookie anymore. Sabo’s words are both a warning and a threat.

It’s impossible not to notice that Sabo never made an offer to transfer Ace to their ship, but Marco doesn’t blame him. From the potential sensory overload to seeing the entire crew that betrayed him, it might shatter what he has left into dust. He knows they all want to see Ace, but his regret, the regret of an entire family, weighs on him. “I’ll inform my crew,” Marco said. 

“Are you sure?” Sabo asks.

Marco doesn’t answer. He leaves the ship– he leaves Ace– to return home to the Moby Dick. He tries to practice forming the words that will deliver the news to his family, that will bring a chill that will never go away. Such things happen when there is no flame, no fire to burn warm the hearth of the home.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I still ended up doing the timeskip, kinda implying that the Strawhats’ defeat at Sabaody pushed them to get stronger. I know there’s not much addressing that, but I wanted to focus more on the Whitebeard side of things here and emphasize how long Ace was trapped like that through the timeskip. I honestly started to think that I was getting a bit too heavy handed and that the angst started to fall flat near the end, but I really want to hear what you all thought about it! Please leave a comment and let me know your thoughts on it!
> 
> Follow me on [twitter](https://twitter.com/shockandlock) to hear me scream angst and fluff or for updates on things!

**Author's Note:**

> Tbh, this has the potential to be a longer fic, but I like writing happy stuff more. I was originally going to post this all at once as a oneshot, but then I realized that I could hold off on posting the second part for a bit, which is mean I know haha. There's a lot more to the next part I promise. Let me know what you think is going to happen in a comment!
> 
> Follow me on [twitter](https://twitter.com/shockandlock) for more of this chaos and to just hear my fun thoughts on One Piece!


End file.
